Tuesday, March 24, 2009

We have a no tax plan......as long as you give it to us.

There's a lot of stories, press releases and chatter out there about the budget and the plans for 2010. I'll be honest, it pretty much confirms what I've been thinking- NO ONE knows what's going on at the legislature.

First you have, by way of Sonoran Alliance, the press release with a title of "Senate Republicans take on challenge to resolve budget without tax increase." The line of the day comes from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Gray. “Even President Obama is not suggesting a tax increase during a recession.” Maybe he's been busy at the capitol and hasn't watched TV or read the newspaper in the last few months.

Next you have the Howie Fischer story that Republicans are crafting a budget without a tax hike. He provides a few more details, that they have about $2.5 Billion figured out leaving $500 Million or so left. Fischer pointed out that Gray was not correct in his assertion that Obama isn't raising taxes.

What bugs me about this whole operation is summed up in the Republic's article about Senate Republicans asking for help plugging that $500M hole. When Sen. Pamela Gorman pointed out that the list of ideas from the public amounts to "a little shop of horrors." Well, it would be nice to see this list which, of course we can't. It would be nice to have those brainstorming ideas out there to see what they are thinking of if taxes aren't on the table.

From my sources, a big part of the fix deals with borrowing, selling buildings and assets, and delaying paying bills. All things we critisized Napolitano for last year.